MAREHAY/PJ'z EXTEND THEIR HEALTHY LEAD IN A DIVISION

MAREHAY Miners Welfare bounced back to winning form with a 3-2 victory at Jaxx Q Club of Belper this week to extend their healthy lead in A Division.
Ben Monk and Andrew Gratton were in barnstorming form as they aggregated 256 points between them in their singles and doubles frames combined with Ben notching the highest A Division break so far to boot with 47 as well as efforts of 25 and 21 (twice).

Steve Robinson and Tim Maslin fought hard for the hosts to pull them back from 2-0 down but there was no holding the previously mentioned terrific twosome in the final doubles clash.

Captain NICK KAY won both his singles and doubles frames for Matlock Golf Club.

Matlock Golf Club scored a fine 3-2 success at Gladiators Social Club of Matlock as Chris Drabble and Nick Kay won both their singles matches and then the deciding doubles frame at the end, despite a 23 break from Vinnie Dennis, who had earlier won his singles frame to put the home team momentarily in the ascendancy.

Matlock's Edgefold Club, challenging for the runner up spot in A Divison, suffered a blow with a 4-1 loss at Bolehill Institute No 2 with Ian Peacock and Martin Forster top scoring in the concluding doubles frame after Rob Muxlow had registered the point for the visitors.

And in the Belper Strutt Club derby, it was the No 1 team who edged out the No 2 outfit by the minimum margin, further embellished by an excellent break of 45 from captain Steve Bullock.

League week 10 results: Jaxx Q Club Belper 2, Marehay MW / PJ'z 3; Gladiators SC Matlock 2, Matlock Golf Club 3; Bolehill Inst No 2 4, Edgefold Matlock 1; Belper Strutt No 1 3, Belper Strutt No 2 2; Matlock Club v Bolehill Inst No 1 postponed until Mon Feb 04.
Breaks: B Monk 47,25,21,21; S Bullock 45; R Muxlow 27; K Holmes 24;
V Dennis 23.

A Division                        P      W      L      Pts
Marehay MW / PJ'z        10       8       2       36
Bolehill Institute No 1        9       5       4       25
Edgefold Matlock            10       5       5       23
Matlock Golf Club           10       5       5       23
Jaxx Q Club Belper        10       5       5       20
Leading breaks: B Monk 47 & 44; I McKay 44.
Leading wins: B Monk 9; R Slack & A Gratton 8.

B Division                        P      W      L      Pts
Belper Strutt No 1           10       7       3       29
Gladiators SC Matlock      9       4       5       26
Bolehill Institute No 2      10       5       5       23
Belper Strutt No 2             9       4       5       22
Matlock Club                     9       0       9       12
Leading breaks: T Brett 58; S Bullock 45.
Leading wins: I Peacock 8; C Stubbs & W Shooter 7.

LATEST NEWS AND COMPETITION DRAWS

THE draws for the next rounds of the competitions were made recently at Bolehill Institute. Balls were drawn out by Ricki Slack, Dwayne Martin and Keith Robertson.

As agreed by the committee, dates will be put on the matches again this season, though you can play them in advance of the set date by mutual agreement.

You must re-arrange with your opponent if a date is not suitable (please give at least 48hrs notice and preferably more) and re-schedule it within 7 days, failing agreement you can apply to the match secretary for a further 7 days to play it.

If someone doesn't contact the opposition and then fails to show, they are expunged obviously.

For semi finals, please let the match secretary know if there are any problems with either hosting or being able to play on the scheduled date, thanks.

B INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP Quarter Finals
Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Wed Jan 30: P Holmes (Matlock Club) 2 T Brett (Gladiators SC Matlock) 0
Wed Jan 30: M Forster (Bolehill Inst No 2) 2 K Manlove (Matlock Club) 0
Thu Jan 31: S Bullock (Belper Strutt 1) 0 D Martin (Gladiators SC Matlock) 2

 

Semi Finals
Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply

Tue Mar 26: D Martin (Gladiators SC) 1 K Holmes (Jaxx Q Club Belper) 2
(at Gladiators SC, Matlock; M G-Jones to arrange refs if possible)

Thu Mar 28: M Forster (Bolehill Inst No 2) 2 P Holmes (Matlock Club) 1
(at Matlock Conservative Club; R Slack to referee)

DENIS MORTON TROPHY (PAIRS HANDICAP) Quarter Finals

Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply

Mon Feb 04: B Monk/A Gratton (Marehay) 0 D Martin/T Brett (Gladiators SC) 2
Mon Feb 04: R Ferguson/D Harwood (Edge) 1 I Peacock/M Forster (Bolehill 2) 2
Mon Feb 04: S Bullock/M Newby (Strutt 1) 0 J Gratton/H Jones (Jaxx Q) 2
Thu Feb 07: A Brough/S Zoppi (Bolehill 1) 2 P Jarrett/W Shooter (Strutt 1) 0

Semi Finals
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Wed Apr 17: J Gratton/H Jones (Jaxx Q) 3 I Peacock/M Forster (Bolehill 2) 0
(at Matlock Golf Club; N Kay / G Jones to arrange refs if possible)

Wed Apr 03: A Brough/S Zoppi (Bolehill 1) 0 D Martin/T Brett (Gladiators SC) 3
(at Matlock Club; K Manlove/P Holmes to arrange refs if possible)

SUGGESTED RE-ARRANGEMENT OF OUTSTANDING LEAGUE FIXTURES
Mon Feb 04: Matlock Club 4 Bolehill Institute No 1 1
Wed Feb 13: Gladiators SC Matlock P Belper Strutt Club No 2 P

BOB McCARTIN CUP (TEAM SIX RED COMPETITION) Semi Finals
Best of 7 frames - 7.30pm - Half of Normal League Handicaps to apply rounded up

Four singles frames and three scotch doubles frames  (alternate shots) 
No player to play more than one singles or two scotch doubles per match
(Same pairing cannot be used twice in scotch doubles)

Tue Feb 05: Gladiators Social Club Matlock 2 Marehay MW / PJ'z 5
(at Bolehill Institute; R Slack to referee)

Wed Feb 06: Belper Strutt Club No 2 1 Jaxx Q Club Belper 4

(at Marehay Miners Welfare; B Monk to arrange refs if possible)

 Final
Tue Apr 02: Marehay MW / PJ'z 4  Jaxx Q Club Belper 2

(at Bolehill Institute; R Slack to referee)

CAPTAINS CUP (TEAM AGGREGATE COMPETITION) Quarter Finals

5 Frames Played to a finish - 7.30pm - Total Aggregate Points to decide
Normal League Handicaps to apply
Mon Feb 11: Bolehill Institute No 1 319 Jaxx Q Club Belper 257
Mon Feb 11: Edgefold Club Matlock 340 Matlock Club 247
Tue Feb 12: Bolehill Institute No 2 308 Belper Strutt Club No 1 248
Tue Feb 12: Matlock Golf Club 254 Marehay Miners Welfare/PJ'z 389

Semi Finals
5 Frames Played to a finish - Total Aggregate Points to decide
Mon Mar 11: Bolehill Institute No 1 325 Marehay Miners Welfare/PJ'z 284
(at Belper Strutt Club, S Bullock to arrange refs if possible)

Tue Mar 12: Edgefold Club Matlock 252 Bolehill Institute No 2 291
(at Jaxx Q Club, Belper, R Slack to referee)

HARTSHORNE CUP (2-MAN TEAM COMPETITION) Quarter Finals
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Four Singles Frames (each player plays each other alternately with a scotch doubles frame - alternate shots - to decide if tied)
Wed Feb 13: K Holmes/M Harrison (Jaxx Q) 3 S Bullock/M Newby (Strutt 1) 1
Wed Feb 13: N Kay/C Drabble (Mat Golf Club) 0 J Gratton/H Jones (Jaxx Q) 3
Wed Feb 20: D Martin/M G-Jones (Glad SC) 2 K Manlove/P Holmes (Mat Club) 3
Tue Mar 05: P Ogden/S Robinson (Jaxx Q ) 1 B Monk/A Gratton (Marehay) 3

INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP Quarter Finals
Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Tue Feb 19: R Ferguson (Edgefold Matlock) 2 D Harwood (Edgefold Matlock) 0
Wed Feb 20: N Parkinson (Edgefold) 1 P Ogden (Jaxx Q Club Belper) 2
Wed Feb 20: S Robinson (Jaxx Q Belper) 1 A Gratton (Marehay MW) 2
Wed Feb 20: K Holmes (Jaxx Q Belper) 2 G Jones (Matlock Golf Club) 0
Semi Finals
Best of 5 Frames - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Wed Apr 10: P Ogden (Jaxx Q Club Belper) 2 K Holmes (Jaxx Q Club Belper) 3
(at Jaxx Q Club, Belper; S Robinson to arrange refs if possible)

Wed Apr 17: R Ferguson (Edgefold Matlock) 0  A Gratton (Marehay MW) 3
(at Matlock Club; K Manlove/P Holmes to arrange refs if possible)

OMYA CUP (INDIVIDUAL SCRATCH COMPETITION) Semi Finals
Best of 5 frames - 7.30pm - All off Scratch
Tue Mar 19: J Gratton (Jaxx Q Club Belper) 3 R Ferguson (Edgefold Matlock) 0
(at Matlock Golf Club; N Kay to arrange refs if possible)

Wed Mar 20: G Jones (Matlock Golf Club) 0 B Monk (Marehay MW / PJ'z) 3
(at Jaxx Q Club, Belper; P Ogden/K Holmes to arrange refs if possible)

 JIMMY HARPER TEAM PLATE COMPETITION First Round

(For First and Second Round Losers in the Captains Cup competition)

Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Total Aggregate Points to decide
Normal League Handicaps to apply
Tues Mar 12: Jaxx Q Club Belper 300 Gladiators Social Club Matlock 240
Wed Mar 13: Belper Strutt Club No 2 298 Matlock Golf Club 278

Other qualifying teams will receive a bye

Please note as last year I will try to help referee semis and especially finals where possible but have limited availability until April, thanks Rick (match sec).

LATEST HANDICAP CHANGES

The latest handicap changes following the last round of matches are:
Steve Bullock of Belper Strutt Club No 1 now goes on to -5 (from -10)
Paul Jarrett of Belper Strutt Club No 1 now goes to -5 (from -10)
Duncan Harwood of Edgefold Matlock now goes on to +5 (from Scratch).
Any further changes will be updated on here and communicated to the captains involved.

STRUTT No 1 KEEP POLE POSITION AFTER BIG CLASH

THIS WEEK's clash between the top two teams in B Division saw Belper Strutt Club No 1 maintain their pole position thanks to a 3-2 away win at nearest rivals Gladiators Social Club of Matlock.
Wayne Shooter edged out Troy Brett on the black in the opener, despite the latter's contribution of 36, before Paul Jarrett (28 break) and Mark Newby quickly put the game to bed with fine performances thereafter.

Mark Gwynne-Jones battled back for the hosts with a 27 clearance to snatch the fourth frame on the black and then he and Dwayne Martin also registered a black ball success in the concluding doubles, despite Paul Jarrett (25 break) continuing to cue well.

The giant-killing act of the week went to Belper Strutt No 2, who toppled A Division leaders Marehay Miners Welfare also by a 3-2 scoreline.

As ever Ben Monk remained unmoved, winning both his singles and doubles frames with breaks of 35 and 26 but in between those successes, Chris Stubbs, Adam Winson and Keith Hubbold all reeled off quickfire frames for a memorable victory for the hosts.

Matlock Golf Club's IAN McKAY equalled the A Division top break with 44.

Bolehill Institute No 2 were another to triumph by the minimum margin in their home fixture with Matlock Golf Club but not before Ian McKay had equalled the A Division's highest break with a superb effort of 44 in the opening salvo.

Keith Robertson (27 break) won both his singles and doubles frames for the hosts though which helped to tip the scales overall.

It also went down to the wire at Matlock Club, but Edgefold Club took the honours 3-2 as Robert Muxlow and Duncan Harwood triumphed on the final black in the concluding doubles, after Keith Manlove and Paul Holmes had pulled the hosts level from 2-0 down.

Jaxx Q Club of Belper fell to a 4-1 defeat at home to Bolehill Institute No 1, with Ricki Slack and Ian Birks top scoring in their doubles frame after Tim Maslin had registered the point for the home team.

League week 9: Gladiators SC Matlock 2, Belper Strutt No 1 3; Belper Strutt No 2 3, Marehay MW / PJ'z 2; Bolehill Inst No 2 3, Matlock Golf Club 2; Matlock Club 2, Edgefold Matlock 3; Jaxx Q Club Belper 1, Bolehill Inst No 1 4.

Breaks: I McKay 44; T Brett 36; B Monk 35,26; P Jarrett 28,25; M Gwynne-Jones 27; K Robertson 27; A Gratton 26; S Robinson 23; K Holmes 22,21.

A Division                        P      W      L      Pts
Marehay MW / PJ'z          9       7       2       33
Bolehill Institute No 1        9       5       4       25
Edgefold Matlock              9       5       4       22
Matlock Golf Club             9       4       5       20
Jaxx Q Club Belper          9       5       4       18
Leading breaks: B Monk & I McKay 44.
Leading wins: R Slack & B Monk 8; A Gratton 7.

B Division                        P      W      L      Pts
Belper Strutt No 1             9       6       3       26
Gladiators SC Matlock      8       4       4       24
Belper Strutt No 2             8       4       4       20
Bolehill Institute No 2        9       4       5       20
Matlock Club                     9       0       9       12
Leading breaks: T Brett 58 & 38, D Martin 37.
Leading wins: I Peacock 7, C Stubbs, M Newby & W Shooter 6.

COMPETITION DRAWS THIS SUNDAY

THE DRAW for the next round of the competitions will be held this Sunday January 20th at Bolehill Institute (weather permitting!) at approx. 8.30pm.
Please try to get all matches played by this date or soon afterwards if it is still in the allowed period (B Div Individual next stage is already scheduled for end of month). Cheers.

HOLDERS START THEIR CUP DEFENCE IN SOLID FASHION

BOLEHILL No 1's SIMON ZOPPI ... illness no obstacle as he romped to victory.

JUST two matches took place in the opening round of the Captains Cup Team Aggregate competition (the other teams received byes) and these produced victories for both the home teams.
Holders Bolehill Institute No 1 entertained Gladiators Social Club of Matlock and were off to a flying start as Simon Zoppi defied flu-like symptoms to produce one of his best performances of the season with a 33-point success.

Further wins for Colin Marchington and Andrew Brough ensued and despite Guy Shirley winning both his singles and doubles matches (partnered by an inspired Mark Gwynne-Jones in the latter contest) the visitors fell short 311-265 after briefly threatening to turn the match on its head.

It was also home sweet home for Matlock's Edgefold Club who overcame visitors Belper Strutt Club No 2 by 294-221.

Richard Ferguson earned a narrow first frame verdict for the hosts before Rob Muxlow and Neil Parkinson put the game practically beyond reach with wide margin wins.

Steve Buckley did his best to claw his side back into reach with a 51-point win in frame 4 but Rob and Neil quickly re-asserted authority in the concluding doubles frame.

There was also one re-arranged League fixture which saw Matlock Golf Club defeat Matlock Club 3-2.

Ian Rose's return to the fold for the visitors was spoiled by a fine performance from Jack Lynch before Nick Kay made it 2-0 shortly afterwards.

Graeme Wood pulled one back but Chris Parker sealed the deal in frame four before Ian showed his class in the concluding doubles frame with an excellent 31 break which helped reduce the result to the minimum margin.

Captains Cup Team Aggregate 1st round: Bolehill Inst No 1 311, Gladiators SC Matlock 265; Edgefold Matlock 294, Belper Strutt No 2 221.
League: Matlock Golf Club 3, Matlock Club 2.
Breaks: I Rose 31; P Ogden 20.

BEN FOLLOWS IN ANDY'S FOOTSTEPS WITH XMAS DOUBLE

ALAN HOPKINSON TROPHY finalists KEITH ROBERTSON (left) and BEN MONK (winner).

FOLLOWING Andrew Gratton's double last Christmas in the Six Red and Speed Snooker competitions in the annual Shootout Night held at Jaxx Q Club, team-mate Ben Monk of Marehay Miners Welfare remarkably achieved the very same feat this time around.
Eighteen players converged on the Belper venue for what many commented is one of the most enjoyable nights of the year with short format competitive snooker combined with a great feel of festive camaraderie being the order of the day.

Ben came through his early rounds of the main competition against team-mate Lee Whatton and then Ian McKay before a mouth- watering clash ensued with local legend Jimmy Gratton in the semi finals.

This did not disappoint with Jimmy making the early running and looking set to clinch a final berth until Ben's 22 clearance at the end saw him snatch a dramatic victory on the final black.

And he kept up the good work in the final against Bolehill Institute's Keith Robertson to lift the Alan Hopkinson Trophy, thanks mainly to an early 31 break before finishing the job with a clearance after Keith's attempted pot on green into the middle pocket had caught the jaw.

Keith himself had earlier fought through matches with Andrew Gratton, Charlie Hodgkinson and Nick Kay.

The second leg of Ben's double came in the Eddie Lomas Trophy, which pits players against each other head to head in being the fastest to clear the colours on adjacent tables.

And this year it was all the more noteworthy a success for the Marehay man as the handicap system was extended so that he had two extra reds to pot while some players started only from the green onwards.

The final was a real thriller against Bolehill's Andrew Brough, with the pair nip and tuck and Andrew getting his shot away on the black just before Ben only to narrowly miss the pocket and leave his opponent to snatch a last gasp victory at the end.

Ben had earlier seen off Steve Hawkins, Ian McKay and Keith Robertson again en route to the final.

GEORGE MILLS TROPHY scotch doubles winners STEVE HAWKINS and KEVIN HOLMES.

That left the George Mills Trophy as the other event up for grabs, which pairs random scotch doubles partners out of the hat, and in another tense finale, the victors were Kevin Holmes of Jaxx Q Club and Steve Hawkins of Hartington RBL billiards team.

Their final opponents were Gray Astle, also of Hartington and Steve Bullock of Belper Strutt Club, who were left needing the last three balls to pull a win out of the fire.

Steve took blue, to leave Gray a chance on the pink with position on black pretty much guaranteed, but the ball wobbled all around the middle pocket, leaving Kevin to sink the decisive ball.

They had also come through earlier matches against Lee Whatton and Andrew Brough, Ricki Slack and Charlie Hodgkinson, and then Ben Monk and Chris Parker in the semis.

Thanks to all who turned out to make the night a great success, and to Jaxx Q Club of course for hosting the event on what was a very busy night for the club in general.

Alan Hopkinson Trophy for the 6-red Christmas Handicap Shootout: winner, Ben Monk (Marehay Miners Welfare); runner-up, Keith Robertson (Bolehill Institute No 2).

George Mills Trophy for the 6-red Christmas Scotch Doubles Handicap Shootout: winners, Steve Hawkins (Hartington RBL billiards team) and Kevin Holmes (Jaxx Q Club Belper); runners-up, Gray Astle (Hartington RBL billiards team) and Steve Bullock (Belper Strutt Club No 1).

Eddie Lomas Trophy for the Christmas Speed Snooker Handicap Shootout: winner, Ben Monk (Marehay Miners Welfare); runner-up, Andrew Brough (Bolehill Institute No 1).